Kampala-bound lorry 'tried to overtake vehicles' before deadly collision

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Police have established in their preliminary investigations that the driver of a lorry heading towards Kampala city from Luwero district tried to overtake a line of vehicles moments before colliding with an oncoming commuter taxi.

The head-on crash resulted in the death of three passengers. Eight other occupants of the taxi survived but sustained injuries.

The Friday night crash happened along the Kampala–Gulu highway in Luwero at a spot in Nkonde village, Nyimbra sub-county.

Police said the collision occurred at around 11:30pm and that all the victims, including the survivors, were occupants of the taxi, which was moving from Kampala to Amolatar district. 

The dead, who were all male, were not immediately identified.

The survivors, also all male, were taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala and Kasana Luwero Hospital for treatment.

Savannah Regional Police spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima later said inquiries into the crash were ongoing.

He urged motorists to exercise caution on highways, particularly when overtaking, and to strictly observe speed limits and road safety regulations.

The Kampala–Gulu highway is one of Uganda’s busiest transport corridors and has in recent years, recorded a number of fatal crashes, often attributed to reckless driving and dangerous overtaking.

Road safety remains a major concern in Uganda. 

In 2024 alone, the country recorded 25,107 road crashes – a 6.4 % increase compared to previous years, according to the 2025 Annual Crimes Report. 

These incidents resulted in 25,808 casualties, up from 24,728 in 2023, despite ongoing government and civil society efforts to reduce accidents.